, 1887-11-15
A NAV PHOTOGRAPHIC LIGHT.
Fine Pictures Taken by a Flash of Gun
Cotton.


AT the last meeting of the Society of
Amateur Photographers DIR. H.G. Piffard,
of this city, exhibited a new method of
taking photographs by artificial light, to
take the place of the unsatisfactory
meChod of burning a ribbon of magnesium
tape that has been used for a long time.
Before the meeting n young gentlemen
who don't now much about the business
and the gray boards who know it all
stood about in little groups excitedly dis
cussing the new invention.
The routine business was disposed of in
a hurry, and then DR.. Piffard was intro
duced. He is a tall, well built gentle
man, with a head of thick, wavy brown
hair, a heavy mustache and strongly
marked features. Liberal applause greeted
him. He read a short address on the
difficulties experienced in producing sue
cessfully an artificial light that would do
for taking pictures. He illustrated sew
eral of the unsuccessful attempts that had
been made, and dwelt particularly upon
the ailur of the magnesium light. He
lit a ribbon of magnesium tape, and
showed how apt it was to flare up and
then subside and suddenly to go out be-
fore the picture was taken.
A big camera was rolled out into the
ANN"f anu a baDlCi "lIOoe lOp Cdult up
even with the lens, was placed beside it.
A brick was placed upon the table, and
upon his brick the doctor put about six
grains of gun cotton, and sprinkled over
it from ten to fifteen grains of magne-
SUM powder. A chair was placed in
front of the camera about ten feet away,
and Mr.. H. j.. Newton seated himself in
this chair. A wax taper was lit and
handed to MIR. Newton, who held it close
to his face. He was focused in this posi-
ton, and then the lights were turned
down until the room was dark. A dry
plate was placed in the camera and then
DIR. Piffard lit a match and applied it to
the compound. There was a flash of
of light that made the entire room as
bright as monday for a second. Then
the gas was turned up.
Mr.. Robert Roosevelt was photographed
in the same way. The pictures developed
in a few minutes, and negatives were
handed around. Ehey were perfect,
and a burst Of applause greeted the ex-
pertinent.
All manner of dark places can be photo
graphed by this method, such as thick
woodland scenes and dark caves. It will
enable amateur photographers to take
pictures in their homes at night, and will
prolong the hours of work for the profess
SIGNALS, and cor~respondingly increase their
incomes.
An entirely original use to which it can
be put was referred to by DIR. Piffard.
He explained that a small wad oil the
compound could be placed in the barrel
of a pistol and exploded by conclusion.
He did this, and the flash was Just as
bright as when it was lgnited in the loose
state The i1pa 10 tho construction of n
small camera made so that it can be fast
ened to the barrel of a pistol. 1t is
claimed that the uses to which this can
be put are manifold. Among them is the
avoidance of any more struggles at police
headquarters when a picture is wanted
for the Rogues' gallery. The rogue can
be photographed in a cell so dark that he
will not be able to see the photographer.
The flash is SO quick that he will be given
no time to distort his features, to close
his eyes, or to disguise himself in n
way. 1t will also make a handy weapon
for a man to have by his bedside. For in
stance, a man can have a self cooking re-
volver with a camera fastened on the
barrel. One of the chambers can be
loaded with this compound and the other
chambers with bullets. When a burglar
appears, the citizen a point his revolver
toward him and take his photograph
first. The flash will enable him to see if
there is more than one burglar around,
and if there is not, then he can fire a bull
let at the one whose photograph he has.
II the man escapes, his photograph can
be handed to the police. If there is more
than one burglar, the wisest thing to do
would be to shoot the one who hasn't
been photographed, for the other one can
be caught at any time by means of the
picture. Suppose a desperate burglar en-
ters a house, and the house owner has
only time to photograph him before he is
murdered. In the morning, providing
the burglar hasn't stolen the camera, as
he surely will if he happens TO read this
story, the police develop the picture and
there is evidence enough to hang him.
The ingredients in DIR. Piffard's COM
pound are said to be absolutely safe.
Among other things exhibited was a new
developer known as ''hydrochnion." Sew
eral pictures that had been developed by
it were SO perfect that the hair on a mans
hand could be distinctly seen. A film,
upon which negatives can be taken,
created much favorable comment. These
can be carried conveniently, and are not
only much lighter han glass, but they
are also less fragile.
DR.. Higgins produced what he termed
a %'finder." This is to be usea for The
purpose of rapidly locating any moving
object, SO that it car be photographed be-
fore it can get beyond the range of the
camera. The 'finder" is a small square
box with a ground glass top and a small
lens in one end. If you want to photo
graph a running deer or a savage animal
in the act of S%pringing upon u victim, a
moving steamboat, a bird flying through
the air, or anything else that hasn't got
time TO wait, you just place the ''finder''
on top of your camera, push the camera
in or out, as the case may be, until the
object is seen in the ground glass, and
then you are sure the focus is all right
New Yoik Sun.